A 42-year-old Mexican national residing illegally in Houston has been sentenced for using a U.S. citizen’s passport and identification fraudulently, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Carlos Bedolla Sanchez pled guilty on March 18 and will serve 40 months in prison.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison sentenced Sanchez to 16 months for passport fraud and 24 months for using a U.S. citizen’s identification, with the terms running concurrently. Sanchez had already been convicted of two felony drug crimes under a fake name, and he was sentenced to 12 months in prison for violating his supervised release, which will be served concurrently. Sanchez, who is not a US citizen, is anticipated to face removal proceedings following his detention.
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On May 19, 2022, Sanchez attempted to renew a passport obtained in 2009 under the identity of a Puerto Rican-born US citizen. He submitted applications using the victim’s name, Social Security number, date of birth, and birthplace to falsely prove his citizenship status. According to the inquiry, Sanchez began using the victim’s identity in March 2009 to obtain state driver’s licenses and other forms of US identification, including a passport. He admitted to making false claims and engaging in aggravated identity theft.
Sanchez will stay in jail pending his transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility. The investigation was conducted by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franklyn prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, the Department of Justice’s national program to deter illegal immigration and safeguard communities from violent crime.
